but thunder.

We need the storm,

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the whirlwind,

and the earthquake.

It’s not light that we need,

but fire;

~Frederick Douglass

It’s not the gentle shower,

The First Black Regiments

The Struggle for Equal Pay

Exhibit Citations

Naval Service

The 5th Massachusetts Cavalry

Introduction

The Homefront

The institution of slavery was a disease deeply embedded in the tissue of the newly formed American republic. It proved beyond the sagacity of the Founding Fathers to cure, and left undisturbed it festered, ready to prove fatal to the Union. In Massachusetts, slavery was abolished not through legislative fiat, but by judicial action in the 1780s. On the national stage, slavery survived, to be destroyed only after a long and bloody civil war. While causes for the Civil War – political, economic and cultural – were varied, the essence of the fight, especially for Massachusetts, was always about slavery and the defense of human dignity and freedom. The call to this fight went out and was answered. In the press and on the streets, from the pulpit, lecture podium, and eventually the battlefield, blacks in the Commonwealth stepped forward and helped change the course of history.

The Call to Fight for Freedom

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Mass. & the U.S. Colored Troops

The 54th Massachusetts Infantry

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The Promise Made

The 55th Massachusetts Infantry

“Is the present war so much higher and holier than the war of the Revolution, that the employment of black soldiers would lower its character or debase its purpose? Are our Generals so much better than Washington, and Jefferson, and Jackson, that they may be contaminated by the apparition of negro regiments in their camps?” (“What Our Fathers Did,” Frank Leslie’s Illustrated Newspaper, Sept. 20, 1862)

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Writing about people of African descent in the Atlantic Monthly in 1863, Edward Pierce asked the question, “Will they fight for their freedom?” For blacks in Massachusetts, the answer was a resounding “Yes!” Theirs is a story of courage, strength, and sacrifice; a story of the quest for a nation free from slavery and a state where one day an African-American might speak words of hope and inclusion as Governor of the Commonwealth. It is a story worth telling.

African-Americans had fought bravely in both the American Revolution and the War of 1812, yet when they tried to enlist at the beginning of the Civil War they were turned away. The conflict was, in the view of the War Department, a “white man’s war.” The Lincoln administration considered authorizing the use of black troops, but did not for fear of losing allegiance of the border states. When Generals John C. Fremont in Missouri and David Hunter in South Carolina attempted to emancipate slaves and train them as soldiers, Lincoln ordered them to stop. Such actions, however, fueled continued debate. Passage of the Second Confiscation and Militia Act (July 1862) and Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation (January 1863) finally allowed for the formal enlistment of black troops into the ranks of the Union Army.

Petition to the General Court, 1861Boston's Black community had long advocated for the right to serve in the military, and called for repeal of the laws that restricted that service. They petitioned the Massachusetts legislature for the removal of the word "white" from the state militia law in 1861, and the same year organized a black drill society in Boston. Massachusetts Archives

1st Regiment Louisiana Native GuardsThe Louisiana Native Guards, free African-Americans from New Orleans, first offered their services to the Confederacy in 1861, but without success. After Union capture of the city, General Benjamin Butler reorganized the Native Guards and mustered them into federal service. They became the 1st Louisiana Native Guards, the first officially sanctioned black regiment in the Union Army. Courtesy of Trustees of the Boston Public Library

1st South Carolina Volunteer InfantryOne of the first black regiments raised, the 1st South Carolina was also one the first, black or white, to see service before its official recognition as a military unit. The soldiers depicted in this image wear a uniform of regulation issue except for the red trousers which were probably used as an enlistment inducement.

Painting by Don Troiani

A determined and far-reaching recruitment effort provided soldiers for the black regiments.

In Massachusetts, recruitment of troops occurred mainly on a local level, with each city or town given a series of quotas to fulfill. Governor John Andrew, an early proponent of black military service, finally gained permission to establish a Massachusetts black regiment on January 26, 1863. New recruiting methods were needed as Massachusetts itself did not have a large enough black population to fill one. African-Americans from other states also sought ways to enlist in order to seek freedom for their black brothers in bondage.

Recruiting agents for the Massachusetts black regiments were established in a number of states, with most joining from New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Ohio. Prominent members of the African-American community, including Frederick Douglass and Lewis Hayden, were involved in promoting recruiting efforts. These efforts provided not only enough men to form the 54th infantry, but a second regiment, the 55th, as well. 

John Mercer LangstonJohn Mercer Langston, an Oberlin College graduate and the first black lawyer in Ohio, was the western recruiting agent for the Massachusetts 54th and 55th regiments. Courtesy of Oberlin College Archives

Enlistment roll, 1863-1864 This roll of Bristol County recruits includes descriptions of African-Americans assigned to the 54th Infantry and the 5th Cavalry. The occupation “hostler” describes one who cares for horses - an ideal background for a soldier in a cavalry unit. Massachusetts Archives

Barracks at ReadvilleCamp Meigs at Readville (then part of Dedham, now Hyde Park) was the major Massachusetts rendezvous camp where recruits were sent and regiments formed and trained, including the 54th  Infantry (which left May 28, 1863), the 55th Infantry (left July 7 1863) and the 5th Cavalry (left May 5-8, 1864).  Illustration by C.W. Reed, from Hardtack and Coffee, by John Billings

The first African-American regiment raised in the North, the 54th Massachusetts Infantry served with honor until the end of the Civil War.

On January 26, 1863, Massachusetts Governor John Andrew was authorized to raise a regiment of African-American soldiers. Recruiting began immediately, and by May over 1000 men had enlisted in the 54th Regiment of Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry. Under the command of Boston native Robert Gould Shaw, the soldiers were sent to South Carolina to participate in the operations against Charleston. In July 1863, the 54th valiantly lead the assault on Fort Wagner and lost over 200 men. The regiment continued to serve in the South, and fought bravely in several more battles before returning to Boston in August 1865.

Attested Copy of an Order of Secretary of War, Edwin M. Stanton, January 26, 1863After multiple attempts by Governor Andrew to seek permission to raise regiments of Black volunteers in Massachusetts, this order finally allowed him to “include persons of African descent” in newly raised regiments. Massachusetts Archives

Depiction of the attack on Fort Wagner, July 18, 1863Fort Wagner was an integral part of the defenses of Charleston Harbor. The attack on the fort failed due to poor coordination by the Union officers commanding the battle, and the 54th suffered terrible casualties in the costly assault. Courtesy of Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division

Sketches of the 54th Infantry in battleThese drawings were made by Captain Nathaniel Appleton, a white officer in the 54th Massachusetts Infantry. Drawn while under fire at the battle of Secessionville, July 16, 1863, they provide a rare depiction of the 54th in action.  Courtesy of West Virginia Regional History Collection, West Virginia University Libraries

“The New State Flag to the 54th Regiment” During the assault on Fort Wagner, the regimental flag was torn from its staff and captured by the enemy. A new color was sent to replace it.  Massachusetts Archives

Letter describing the Battle of OlusteeThe 54th Infantry fought in several other battles after Fort Wagner. This letter describes the 54th’s role in the Battle of Olustee, Florida. Massachusetts Archives

Sergeant William H. Carney, 54th Massachusetts Infantry Courtesy of Museum of African American History

One member of the 54th, William Harvey Carney, was born a slave in Norfolk, Virginia in 1840. He earned his freedom and moved to New Bedford before enlisting in the 54th Massachusetts Infantry. During the assault on Fort Wagner, Sergeant Carney saved the flag of the 54th from capture. Despite being separated from  his regiment and suffering from three severe  wounds, Carney refused to relinquish his hold on  the colors. Returning the flag to camp after the  battle, Carney was greeted with cheers, and exclaimed to his comrades, “Boys, the Old Flag never touched the ground!” His actions were recognized in 1900, when he was awarded the Nation’s highest military award, the Congressional Medal of Honor.

Soldiers of the 54th

Letter describing the heroics of Sergeant CarneyThis letter from an officer in the 54th relates the heroic tale of Sergeant Carney’s efforts to save the regimental flag from capture at the battle of Fort Wagner.  Massachusetts Archives

Photograph of Drummer Miles Moore, 54th Massachusetts InfantryMiles Moore was only fifteen years old when he enlisted as a drummer in the 54th Massachusetts. During the battle of Fort Wagner, he served as a stretcher-bearer for the wounded. He remained in the United States Army after the war, and served with the famous “Buffalo Soldiers” on the frontier. Courtesy of Massachusetts Historical Society

Letter from Private Ezekiel Barcus, 54th Massachusetts InfantryWhile sick in the hospital, Ezekiel Barcus wrote to Massachusetts Governor John Andrew and President Abraham Lincoln, imploring the two men to do everything in their power to bring about a quick end to the war and to eradicate slavery. Barcus died of dysentery two months after this letter was written.  Massachusetts Archives

Alexander H. Johnson, Massachusetts 54th Volunteer Infantry, Company C A resident of New Bedford and a seaman by trade, Johnson was mustered into the 54th Regiment on March 30, 1863 at the age of 16 and served as a musician. He mustered out on August 20, 1865. Courtesy of Massachusetts Historical Society

Henry Steward, 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry, Company E A farmer from Adrian, Michigan, Steward mustered in on April 23, 1863 as a Sergeant.  He died of disease at the hospital on Morris Island, South Carolina on September 27, 1863. Courtesy of Massachusetts Historical Society

Henry A. Monroe, 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry, Company CA laborer from New Bedford, Monroe mustered in on February 30, 1863 as a musician at the age of 18.  He was mustered out on August 20, 1865. Courtesy of Massachusetts Historical Society 

Often overshadowed by the 54th, the 55th Massachusetts Infantry had an illustrious record of service equal to its predecessor.

So many men had been recruited for the 54th Massachusetts that a second regiment of African-American soldiers was organized. By the end of June 1863, the 55th Regiment of Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry was ready for service, and was sent to South Carolina. The regiment was employed in constructing fortifications in Charleston Harbor during the summer and fall of 1863. The 55th fought bravely in several battles, and lost over 200 men in combat. At the end of the war, the 55th was employed in policing the South Carolina countryside before returning to Boston in September 1865.

Regimental return of the 55th Massachusetts InfantryThis return lists the numbers of men enlisted in the 55th Regiment and gives their places of birth. More than half the states in the Union were represented in the regiment, along with Canada and Africa.  Massachusetts Archives Document conserved through the generosity of the Military Historical Society of Massachusetts.

African-American Soldiers in Fort Wagner, 1863Fort Wagner was finally captured in September 1863. Later, it was occupied by both the 54th and 55th Massachusetts infantry regiments.  Courtesy of Massachusetts Historical Society

Detail of “Presentation of Colors to the Fifty-fifth Regiment”This newspaper clipping describes the presentation of flags to the 55th Massachusetts Infantry before it left for the front. After the war, the flags donated by the African-American women of Ohio were given to Governor Andrew. The national and state flags were returned to the Massachusetts State House, where they are kept to this day.  Massachusetts Archives

The men of the 55th Infantry Regiment were a diverse mix of soldiers from all parts of the country and all corners of the globe. An escaped slave living in Illinois, twenty year-old Andrew Jackson Smith enlisted in the 55th Massachusetts Infantry early in 1863. During fierce fighting at Honey Hill, South Carolina, in 1864, Smith took up the regimental colors after the bearer was killed by enemy fire. Even though a third of the regiment was killed and wounded in the fighting, Smith continued to wave the flag defiantly in the face of enemy fire. His heroism would go unrecognized until 2001, when President Clinton posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor to Andrew Jackson Smith for his bravery under fire.  The medal was presented to Sergeant Smith’s descendents who had worked tirelessly for the recognition of their ancestor’s heroic achievements.  

Soldiers of the 55th

Photograph of Sergeant Andrew Jackson Smith, 55th Massachusetts InfantryAndrew Jackson Smith was one of only two soldiers in the African-American regiments from Massachusetts to be awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor.  Courtesy State Library of Massachusetts, Special Collections

Photograph of Private Nicholas Saib, 55th Massachusetts Infantry Born Mohammed Ali Ben Saib in the Sudan, Nicholas Saib was a slave in Africa, Asia, and Europe before gaining his freedom and migrating to the United States. He was fluent in five languages, and worked as a teacher after the war.  Courtesy of Massachusetts Historical Society

Newspaper article describing Nicholas SaibNicholas Saib was a subject of fascination for many authors. He was featured in an article in the Atlantic Monthly in 1867, and in 1873 he published his autobiography.  Massachusetts Archives Document conserved through the generosity of the Military Historical Society of Massachusetts

William H. Dupree, Massachusetts 55th Volunteer Infantry, Company HA plasterer from Chillicothe, Ohio, Dupree mustered in as a Private on June 22, 1863. He received a commission as 2nd Lieutenant on May 30, 1864 and was transferred to Company I. He mustered out on August 29, 1865 and settled in Boston. Courtesy of The League of Women for Community Service

James H. Jackson, Massachusetts 55th Volunteer Infantry, Company BA resident of Adrian, Michigan, and a blacksmith by trade, Jackson was originally mustered into the 54th Regiment on May 13, 1863, but was transferred to the 55th Regiment as a Sergeant two weeks later at Readville.  He mustered out on August 29, 1865, having attained the rank of 1st Sergeant. Courtesy of State Library of Massachusetts, Special Collections 

The 5th Regiment of Massachusetts Volunteer Cavalry was organized in the Commonwealth in early 1864. The unit arrived in Virginia and fought in the opening battles around the Confederate stronghold of Petersburg. After performing guard duty over prisoners of war in Maryland, the 5th returned to Virginia and had the honor of being among the first troops to ride into Richmond, the captured capital of the Confederacy. After the end of hostilities in Virginia, the regiment was transferred to Texas before returning to Massachusetts for discharge in November 1865.

Organized to fight on horseback, the 5th Massachusetts Cavalry served with distinction in Virginia and Texas.

Telegram authorizing the 5th Massachusetts Cavalry  This telegram from the War Department in Washington, D.C., authorized Governor John Andrew to enlist a regiment of African-American cavalry.  Massachusetts Archives

Photograph of the ruins of Richmond, VirginiaThe capture of Richmond, the capital of the Confederacy, was an important victory for the North. When Confederate soldiers abandoned the city in 1865, they burned everything thought to be of military value, leaving much of the city in ruins.  Lawrence Collection, Courtesy of Medford Historical Society

Letter from Charles Francis Adams, Jr., describing the fall of RichmondThis letter from regimental commander Charles Francis Adams, Jr., great grandson of President John Adams, describes the honor bestowed upon the 5th Massachusetts Cavalry as it rode through the streets of Richmond. Massachusetts Archives

Descriptive roll of the 5th Massachusetts CavalryAs with other African-American regiments from Massachusetts, over one thousand men served in the 5th Massachusetts Cavalry. This roll provides personal information on soldiers at the 5th including their ages, occupations, and places of residence.  Massachusetts Archives

Soldiers of the 5th

Photograph of Sergeant Charles Douglass, 5th Massachusetts Cavalry  Courtesy of Moorland-Spingarn Research Center, Howard University Archives

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